Should you book a European river cruise that takes place in summer? Maybe not.
Next summer’s cruise passengers are expected to encounter problems because of an unusually hot season in Europe.
The result of that torrid weather has been low water levels in isolated parts of European rivers, requiring that cruise companies alter or even cancel itineraries.
They cannot operate their ships where water levels are too low.
Granted, the problems are most often encountered on river cruises of the Danube—particularly approaching Budapest (pictured)—and not on the Rhine or the Seine. Some cruises approaching Budapest have had to be re-routed, placed on lower-draft ships (their passengers bused from place to place), or even cancelled.
Other European river cruises have encountered no such problems.
But if the unusually hot summer weather occurs next year, European cruise companies are worried. And many cruise passengers are being alerted to book only those rivers where low water levels are infrequent.
Accordingly, you are being warned.
